Cosmetics

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London is well known for its creative designers and inventive street walk. I was walking along with a group of friends, something caught my eyes and made me turn back and look again at the trendy window display, I see a sign of the store written on it Year Zero London. As I look closer, I see Hermes handbag with a twist and yet sophisticated that made me tell my friends that I need to go inside and see what they have. I see two artists who are sales people, with a very stylish hair and many earrings. Their looks resemble the store theme and products they have.

I take a closer look at the Hermes handbag and I see colors all over the bag with urbane images. I asked the sales man how much is the handbag, he says it’s for 10,000 pound then I asked him is that the real Hermes handbag or is it fake. He looked at me and said it is real for sure. Then he added, bring your own handbag then sit with the artist and tell him what you want to do with your handbag. Within two weeks or more, you can have your own special unique piece.

I found that a very interesting story to write about and share it with you all so I asked the sales man if I can take a photo of the window display and he asked the woman but she said no in French explaining that she doesn’t want anybody to take photos of the store then I asked her gently and explained to her that I will write a blog about it and then she said yes and the guy gave me the business card. It was nice of her to allow me to share this with you. Take a glance at these handbags that are artistically made.

Hermes With Funky Design

LV With Cartoon Design

Skulls Design

After I left the store, I started thinking which handbag I can bring with me next time I go back to her and make my own artistic LV!

The BB Creams have made quite some noise lately. Let’s go back to where it all started:

BB creams (short for “beauty balm” or “blemish balm”) have been doing pretty good in the Korean and Japanese markets since the eighties. Soon enough, Garnier,Smashbox and Maybelline formulated their own BB creams to correct uneven skin tone, minimize oiliness, reduce wrinkles and offer extra sun protection. Asian skin care has always sparked the interest of cosmetic companies worldwide.

Garnier BB Cream

Maybelline BB Cream

Smashbox BB Cream

Hala Ajam

Hala Ajam learned from the Makeup Academy in Hollywood; where she studied special effects make-up for photography, TV and movies, she worked with Glamour Shots, a top fashion photography studio in Los Angeles California, and then moved to Lebanon to work with esteemed establishments including Future Television and Laha, a weekly magazine in the Middle East.

Makeup and science merge during this decade. No longer satisfied with just covering up the signs of aging, cosmetic houses begin presenting a more scientific approach to beauty. They started promising a more youthful appearance with ‘light reflective particles’ and ‘wrinkle-defying results’. The choices in makeup products increase, as does the continual search for hope in a jar. The look of the 90’s is still heavily influenced by the previous decades: the 50’s and 60’s for young women and 40’s, like the smoky look, for mature ones. Although colors and application are toned down, veering more towards a natural look, yet, the look still groomed. Nude lipsticks or dark red were used.

In the following photo, I used a natural brown eye shadow on the model, with individual false eyelashes. I applied a shining blusher on the cheekbones and a very natural lipstick color.

the liquid eyeliner creates a bolder effect, as the color is the richer and the line is more precise. when applying liquid liner, it is best done as close as possible to the mirror, as control is essential in application. Haul the eyelid taut and outwards, and draw a line close to your lash line. If you wish to go thicker, simply repeat the same movement above the original line and so forth.

Another trick to start with a thin line and get thicker as you go across then thinner to the outer corner and then upwards a bit, creating a feline appearance to the eye. The effect can be dramatic and will create a whole new shape to the eye. It can give you a retro look.

Pro tip:

If you want the eye to look raised and more open, draw a thin line across the upper lid, stopping just before the lash line ends. Then take the line upwards into a gentle curve. If you want your eyes to appear larger, simply follow the shape of your eye, and then continue with a small line just beyond the lashes.

During our recent meeting with her, celebrity beauty expert Hala Ajam asserted that there is no brown blush, unlike what many women think.

In fact, the blush (as its name indicates) serves to give more “blush” to the cheeks (a lively color). Therefore, it is available in pink for the white skin and in coral for brunettes. As for what is called brown blush, it is actually a corrector and is used on the entire face to define it and bring out its beauty after applying the foundation cream and the loose powder. In this regard, the famed makeup artist stated that this rule doesn’t only apply on the cheeks, forehead and nose, but also on the eyes which should be painted with colors that bring out the natural beauty of the eye color, instead of using matching eye shadows.

The problem with following trends when it comes to shaping our brows is that trends change overnight. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the re grown of your eyebrows.

Over plucking can result is an unnatural shape severe arch, which can add years to once appearance. Also it is not always guaranteed that all the plucked hairs with grow back. Therefore, to avoid any disappointment or disaster, simply follow the natural shape and arch of your brows, plucking only to tidy, remove stray hairs and accentuate your natural arch.

The brow should be at its thickest above the inner corner of the eye and gradually taper out towards the outer corner. As grooming can also encourage hair to grow back faster and thicker it is always good to think before you pluck. The same can be said about bleaching the brows, which is normally required for models to create a specific look, but generally not necessary beyond the pages of a magazine. At the end of the day, I advise keeping them as natural as possible and enjoy for now having one less thing to groom, and to avoid labeling yourself to a certain age group.

Tip pro:

Avoid over plucking your eyebrows. With time and over plucking the hair will stop growing. Keep them as natural as you can to keep your eyebrows looking natural.